Your Own Forest
by Pastelrose94
Summary: What happens when you die? Which path in the forest do you choose? (Afterlife one Shots after a character's death in Game of Thrones)
1. King Tommen Baratheon

Tommen found himself in a clearing. The light coming through the open canopy of the trees, blinding him for a moment. He remembered, smoke and passing stone. Then everything went black. Now everything was too bright, his vision blurring. Sitting up, he breathed in a quick breath of air. Trying to focus, he found himself puzzled by what he saw. The circle of tree line that surrounded him was different at every place he turned. Walking to one, he looked through the stone path to see a the Red keep surrounded by forest, the smell of the sea hitting him, not the usual stench of the city below. To its left was sand covered floor under the canopy of trees. If he stood close enough he felt the heat blazing, yet he could hear the voice of birds echoing loudly and ships rocking and creaking. Next to it was a deep muddy green moss coming out with jagged rocks. The coldness was mixed with the spray of sea coming through the light breeze. The only sound was the crashing of waves.

Tommen felt a chill from behind him, the breeze making the hair on the back of his neck rise. Turning he saw a Direwolf sitting next to the woods with snow falling from it. Walking slightly closer to it, he saw a collar around it's fur, the dogs ears up and looking at him intently. The animal seemed familiar to him, yet he couldn't quite figure out how. It wasn't until a larger giant black direwolf emerged from behind the dog did he begin to grow fearful. Unconsciously he took a few steps back, moving closer to the the desert between the trees, the heat startling against the cold in front.

"I wouldn't go into that one. Theres a Dothraki who is missing his wife, and he doesn't like strangers." A voice came from the trees. A boy no older than he, jumped down, dressed in furs. His auburn hair curled around his face, mixed with his bright blue eyes, the boy gave him a wicked smile. "You grew up fast. Still smaller than me." The boy spoke, leaning against a tree. His hand found the black fur of the direwolf.

"Rickon Stark?" He asked, confused. "But you're dead."

"So are you. You wouldn't have ended up here if you weren't." Bending down, Rickon, pet the younger direwolf on the head. "She's not coming Lady. Not yet." Motioning back to the woods. With her head dropping low, Lady, made her way back into the trees, with Shaggydog following behind her. "Nice seeing you again Tommen." He went to leave, but Tommen tried to stop him.

"Wait! Where am I?"

"You'll figure it out." He waved. "Pick a place that means the most to you, or wait. Someone might venture to find you, if they are curious enough." Tommen heard a voice call out for Rickon in snow covered woods. The boy smiled at him, before disappearing just as he arrived.

"Someone will find me? Who do I want fo find me the most?" A tap on his shoulder made him turn around, his eyes wide.

"There you are silly." His sister Myrcella smiled brightly at him. Tommen grew a smile wider than his face could hold. Wrapping his arms around his sister, he was so happy to see her. "Come, I've been waiting for you. I want you to meet someone." Ushering him towards the brightly lit trees with the sea and ships, he smiled. Sand crumbling under his boots as he went. Once again at home with someone whom he truly wanted to see.


	2. Queen Daenerys Targaryen

Daenerys felt the blade slide in, the moment of betrayal and hurt was something she never knew she would experience again. The dark suddenly became light, she found herself bent over clutching her heart, her other hand braced against a warm summer green grass. It only took a moment for her to realize, the pain was gone, the cold she felt was no more. Glancing up, she found herself starring at an odd clearing with many different seasons coming from in between the trees. The sound of rushed footsteps echoed loudly, behind her. Turning quickly, she came face to face with a direwolf, but smaller than the ones she had known. A boy, coming down from the trees, to pet the wolf, looked confusingly at her.

"Who are you?" Looking at the boy, she felt a certain feeling of rage come into her, when she noticed the resemblance between him and the Lady of Winterfell. "You look like Rhegar." He smiled, before rushing back into the snow covered trees, the direwolf following behind him. The name Lady being called out loudly. Keeping her eyes on the Winter woods, she saw a tall figure emerge from the trees. His silver hair blended into the background, a smile on his lips. Just behind him stood a white knight that looked familiar, yet wasn't.

"I've been wondering when you would show up." He took a few steps out, the Kingsmen following him. "Sister." Her eye widened, glancing between the two men.

"You're Rhegar Taragaryen." It was statement, not a question.

"Don't worry, we have plenty of time to talk. Don't you agree Selmy?" Daenerys felt tears spring to her eyes. The old man, had become young again, a knight in true form, not just in wisdom.

"Sir Barriston?" He bowed his head. "I'm so confused. Why are you coming out of the winter's? What is going on?" Sir Barriston smiled at her tone. The authoritative tone she had, was something he had missed.

"You will know in time. Till then, there's someone who has been waiting a long time to meet you." Through her shock, Daenerys felt him before she turned. His strong gaze was something she had wished to see again after all these years. Turning quickly, Drogo stood tall and proud. HIs braid just as long as she remembered. Without a second longer, she ran to him, jumping. Drogo's grasped her tightly, holding her close to him. For the first time she heard the sound of her dragons behind him. The sound of horses, the wind. She felt the heat beating from behind the trees, crickets, everything when she first started, everything that made her feel like it was her home.

"Khaleesi." His voice deep and breathy. Kissing him deeply, Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, The first of her Name, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms, The Mother of Dragons, the Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, the Unburnt, the Breaker of Chains, was once again with her King, her Khal.

Her home.


	3. Lord Commander Jon Snow Part I

Jon sat right up, his breathing deep, his hands going straight towards his chest. Panic swept through him, yet he could not find any trace of blood or harm done to him. His chest rising and falling under his touch, only seemed to make the wind howling echo loudly in his ears. The feeling of becoming unwelcomed with every breath. There was no bright light shining down on him, yet Jon could just make out the winter woods coming from the forest in front of him.

He stumbled getting on his feet, his focus on someone coming from the winter woods. Jon held his breath the moment he recognized the man he called father emerged. He took a moment to stare at him before rushing over. Eddard Stark didn't look happy to see him, yet he didn't look mad, he only seemed frightened.

"Jon, you're not supposed to be here." He said gravely, looking back at the winter woods. There was some deep secret, he wasn't supposed to know, not yet.

"Father, I couldn't...I couldn't be like you." He cried out, grasping the man's hands. Ned smiled at him, placing a hand on his cheek, a caring gesture that he did whenever Jon was upset.

"No Jon...You were just like me. Staying true to word and honor. Which is why you are here to early."

"Early?" He shook his head. "I don't understand!"

"You have to protect them Jon. The lone wolf dies, but the Pack survives. Winter is coming son."

"Father-"

"Go! We will meet again when the time is right." He pushed him towards the darkness away from the Winter woods. He gave a him a sad smile. "Go!" Jon took one last look at his father before turning and running back in the direction of nothing. He suddenly felt nothing, then everything at once. It felt like fire shooting them, his lungs demanded to be work, his heart beating faster then he had ever felt it before, his eyes opening to the a ceiling with a fire cracking in the hearth behind him. The winter forest, Ned Stark, faded to a dull shadow, a memory he couldn't remember. When he thought about where he had just been, there was suddenly nothing. There was just, nothing.


	4. Lord Commander Eddison Tollett

Eddison Tollett held his sword in his hand, his eyes dancing back and forth to find the Wright, but none were around.

"What's got you scared Edd?" A voice long dead asked from behind him. Spinning, he saw his two brothers Grenn and Pypar laughing at him leaning against the winter trees. Both dressed in the black cloaks. Winter winds were behind them, snow falling towards him slowly. Looking around he saw several other different paths, but he knew none were for him. His shoulders relaxed and with a roll of his eyes he threw down his sword. The blade hitting the grass field with a thud, the weapon quickly dissolving into the dirt, as if it never existed.

"I think it's Lord Commander now?" Pypar teased, elbowing Grenn.

"Bloody hell, I'm dead."

"No shit, here I thought Sam was the only one brains." Grenn walked over, hooking his arms over his shoulders.

"Jon got the looks, Sam the brains, you had...well, you had Jon and Sam." Edd elbowed him in the gut, walking over to Pypar and embracing him.

"Where we going?" Edd didn't care, he was with his brothers again.

"To get warm." Pypar, walked with him into the winter night, Grenn jostling him his laugh echoing back into the clearing. The sound of Direwolves howling greeted Edd the further he went towards peace.


	5. Prince Rickon Stark

Rickon sucked in a deep breath, lifting his head up from the grassy field. Scrambling to his feet, he looked around to find no Ramsy Bolton or Jon running towards him. Just snow falling from the trees in front of him and the sound of oceans behind him. He found himself looking at a direwolf sitting patiently, elegant even. Behind her, stood one he knew dearly.

"Shaggy dog!" He yelled. The direwolf took off towards him, leaping into the air before tackling him. They rolled around for a moment, his head burying in his friend's thick fur, something he never thought he would be able to do again. "I missed you." He pushed the direwolf, only to have one of the paws come up and swipe at him gently.

"You've grown." A voice that pulled at a memory he had. One long ago, that he thought was like a dream and nightmare wrapped into one. Standing there, next to a direwolf he knew as Grey Wind, was his big brother, Robb.

"I am soon to be a man." He squared his shoulders, yet his hand came to his chest. The memory of an arrow piercing his heart, blood coming from his mouth. "I mean...I was...soon to be a man." He got lost in his thought, only to be pulled out out of by sudden movement in the woods. Robb turned to gaze behind him, a smile coming. Without another moment more of hesitation, Cateyln Stark emerged from the woods and ran up to her youngest. Wrapping him a hug, holding him to her. It had been six long years waiting and watching over him from peace. Kissing the top of his head, she looked at him.

"I wish you came to me when you were old and grey."

"Mother." Rickon hugged her, holding on to his memories of long ago.

"Come, there's someone waiting for you." Robb called, echoing them over.

"Osha? Father?" Rickon began to ask.

"And a Maester that wants to hear about your adventures." Cateyln guided her son to the forest, the direwolves not too far behind.


	6. King Euron Greyjoy

Sitting straight up with a yell, Euron Greyjoy swung his fist at nothing. His chest moving up and down rapidly, eyes darting back and forth in the darkness that he was in. It took him a second for his eyes to adjust to the dim light. There no was no sound, other then the deafening sound of the ocean. He felt his ears compress like he was under water, the weight of it crushing him. Water came up to brush against him, then pulled back to a tree line. Finding his feet, Euron gazed at the trees, in between was the depths of the sea. Mist coming out hitting him, reminding him of the times he captained on the High waters. Glancing around, he saw no other paths available for him to take. He felt the cold winds from the North side, and the heat from the south, yet there was nothing he could follow, all shrouded in darkness. Taking a step closer, he touched the wall of water, it moved around him, inviting him to join it.

_To drown in it. _

Memorized he almost missed the movement coming from beneath the water. Jumping back, he managed to dodge the giant tentacle emerging from the shadowy depths. Euron reached for his sword that wasn't there. With a final sense of clarity overcoming him, a loud laugh burst from his chest. Arms out stretched he yelled at the beast.

"What is dead may never die!" The Kraken reached out another tentacle successfully attaching to his leg. "What is dead may never die!" He continued to yell, pulling at the grass while the Kraken pulled him down into the watery depths of his new home.


	7. Hodor

His arms outstretched, the pain of being clawed and chewed at were gone. Hodor felt nothing bracing against his back, nothing pushing or pulling, just the light warmth of the sun beating down on his skin. Opening his eyes, he took in the clearing before him. There was no winter winds taking the breath from him, or the dead coming back to claim him. He was holding nothing. Hodor looked around, seeing several different paths, one leading to what he believed to be water, another came with the blaze of heat. He found himself being drawn to the one with a light snowfall coming from the trees. It reminded him of when he was a boy, during an early spring, when the green grass sprang up while soft snow still drifted down. He used to love taking the horses out to pasture, letting them enjoy their free time in peace without the noise of Winterfell. Hodor caught sight of his great-grandmother, Old Nan walking over to him, a wide smile on her face.

"Wylis?" She called out to him. His smile growing to match hers.

"Nan?" He uttered a word, one he hasn't since he was boy. He raised his hands to his lips, tears coming to Old Nan's eyes. She reached out, offering her hand for him to grab. From the trees she came from, he heard horses singing, as if to welcome him home. "I held the door Nan!" He pronounced happily. Hodor did what he was always meant to do. Protect the Little Lord from danger.

"You did good Wylis...So good. The rest of the Starks are waiting for you. Even your favorite horses are here." She moved them towards the woods, him helping her walk, both smiling, while he began to speak words he long thought lost to him.


	8. Ros

**Her scream ripped out through the forest her eyes seal shut. It took a few seconds to realize the pain was no longer there. Blinking, she saw there was no King holding his lion head bow in front of her. There was no arrow keeping her hands together, no bed frame to be pinned on. Falling to her knees, she let out a shaky laugh. It felt like a nightmare, one she couldn't get out of no matter how hard she tried. But she wasn't dreaming anymore. She knew she wasn't capable of it. A cold air swept past her, her eyes falling on the winter woods just off in front. Ros somehow knew where they lead. They lead back to Wintertown, Winterfell, the starks, the north. The place that made her hard and adventurous. Behind her the sound of feet hitting cobble stones, the noise of Kings Landing made her turn towards to another path. Voices echoing out, though no one appeared. She looked at the two paths she knew, yet she found herself drawn to a third. One she knew nothing about expect for stories brought over by sailors or merchants who stopped at the brothels. The sound of hooves racing, seemed to pull her closer to the tall grassy land. Jagged rocks were besides the trees. For the first time since arriving at Kings Landing, Ros found herself genuinely curious. A smile wider then when she left the North found her again. **

"**Sounds like an adventure." She spoke to herself, taking the final steps into the land unknown. A welcome relief from the two pasts she longed to leave. **


End file.
